Apparatus for washing, extracting, and drying



E. J. PERRY May 19; 1942.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING, EXTRACTING, AND DRYING Eiled Oct. 2, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 "all x):

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5 Sheeis-Sheet 2' M y 1942- E. J, PERRY APPARATUS FOR WASHING, EXTRACT-TING, AND DRYING Filed Oct. 2,1939

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APPARATUS FOR WASHING, EXTRACTING, AND DRYING Filed Oct. 2, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 H It! 104 ii l/z m I 3mm m v Mame/[1 021 May 19, 1 942.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING, EXTRACTING, AND DRYING E. J. PERRY Filed 0ct.. 2, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 E. J. PERRY May 19, 1942.

APPARATUS FOR WASHING, EXTRACTING, AND DRYING Filed Oct. 2, 1939 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 3mm rfimizfriy Patented ay 1%,, 1%42 .azsaciz A arraaa'rvs son was .1 a, ax'rr:

AND DRG Emanuel ll. Perry, New Bedford, Mass.

Application October 2, 1939, Serial No. 297,6lt (c1. ss-2c) Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on 1 I Claims.

' in a washing machine and therein subjected to the action of water and a detergent or cleaning solvent, after which the articles are transferred to an extractor where the liquids are removed and thereafter placed in a tumbler to be shaken out and dried.

My invention contemplates for its general object the provision of a unitary device which will accomplish all or any selected of the various functions of washing, extracting, tumbling and drying, thus eliminating any need for separate machines and the transfer of articles to and from various containers and, in general, an improved device for washing or cleaning and drying clothes or other articles.

Another object is to provide a device of the above character having clothes containers rotatable or oscillatable about different axes such as the vertical and horizontal and which does not require mechanism for tilting or otherwise altering the position of the containers in the casing.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved apparatus for centrifugally extracting liquid from the washed articles whereby the articles are lesssusceptible to injury during this operation.

'A further object contemplates the provision of a novel and more emcient arrangement of parts for introducing drying air into the machine during the drying operation.

A still further object is to provide a novel arrangement of a plurality of.clothes containers, each of which may be'operable to effect the varitages above described.

the lines 22 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-8 of Figure l.

considerable Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing operating parts for rotating or oscillating the clothes containers of Figures 1, 2 and 3 on a horizontal axis.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of a. suggested electrical hook-.up for the form of the invention shown in Figures 1-4.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view partly broken away of a machine embracing another form of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 'l'l of Figure 6.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals refer to like parts, an outer casing'indicated generally at' H! includes a bottom wall l2, side walls It and a top I6 and Extending centrally and vertically of the casing i0 is a shaft 20, rotatably supported at its lower end and in bearing 22 provided at the bottom ii of the casing at its upper end in a bearing 26 at the top it of the casing. The shaft 20 intermediate its ends has welded or otherwise secured thereto a housing 2% in which bearings 28 are provided for rotatably receiving a horizontally extending s'tub'shaft 30, to the outer ends of which are secured perforated containers 32 and 33. A nut or the like 3i may be threaded to the extremities of the stub shaft 30 projecting inside the containers to hold the containers 32 and 33 integral with the stub shaft for rotation on a common horizontal axis. The containers 32 and 33 may be of the conventional type with ribs Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiments of, the

principles of the invention have been selected or other bafile means for tumbling or agitating the articles during washing and each has a suittable door 8 for loading or unloading. The outer walls of the cylinders 32 and 33 may be rounded to correspond generally with the interiorcurvature of the side walls Hi of the casing in;

A pulley 3t keyed to upper extending portion of the shaftiil is connected with belts 36 or other suitable means, to the drive shaft 31 of an electric motor 38. Guard plate il may house the container with the result that garments or other articles in the center of the container are subjected to opposed forces and often spread apart and torn. This is obviated in the present manner of extracting wherein the containers are rotated in the casing or tub around an axis offset wardly and outwardly of the casing and into and out of engagement with a spline casting 58 mounted centrally of the outer wall of container 33 meshing with spline end 52 of shaft 42.

A wide gear 54 is keyed to the shaft 42 meshmg with narrow gear 56' when the shaft 42 is in either its innermost or outermost position. The gear 56 is mounted on a counter shaft 58 to which is fastened a pulley 68 connected by belts 62 or the like to the drive shaft 64 of an electric motor 66.

Through the medium of an interlock, the operation ,of which is hereinafter explained, the shaft 42 is prevented from being shifted inward- 1y of the casing while the vertical shaft 28 is in motion, and through another means hereafterdescribed application of power to the shaft 28 is prevented when sliding shaft 42 is in driving engagement with the spline 58 of container 33.

The motors 38 and 66 may be three phase induction motors and-a suggested electrical circuit is diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 5 wherein ajog control 68 for selectively positioning the containers within the casing is provided for ro tating vertical shaft 28 in addition to the usual start and stop controls I8 and 12. Current may be supplied to the motor .38 for rotating the shaft 28 through conductors 14, I5 and I6 and a contactor or magnetic switch II having an operating coil 18.

The motor 38 for driving the shaft 28 may be started by depressing the start button I8 to ener gize the operating coil I8 of the contactor II to close the contacts thereof including contacts 19. The circuit through the operating coil I8 may be traced from conductor I4 through conductor 88, the contacts of starting button I8, conductor 8|, conductor 82, contacts of a cut-out switch 83', conductor 84, contacts of the stop button I2, and operating coil 18 to conductor I5. It will be seen that the switch 83 is opened by movement of lever 46 which shifts shaft 42 into driving relation with container 33. Thus, it is impossible to start the motor 38 when the shaft 42 is engaged.

Closing of the contactor II sets up a holding.

circuit to maintain the contactor closed when the start button is released. This circuit may be tracedfrom conductor I4 through closed contact 19 of the contactor II, conductor 85, upper normally closed contacts of jog button 68, conductor 86, conductor 8|, conductor 82, switch 83, conductor 84, contacts of stop button 12, and operating coil 18 to conductor I6. It will be noted that the contacts of the stop button 12 are in contacts in parallel with the contacts of the starting button I8, so that depression of the jog button also starts the motor 38. However, the upper contacts of the jog button are'in series with the holding circuit above traced so that the contactor II opens before the jog button returns to close its upper contacts after this button has been depressed. Thus, depression of the jog button when the motor is stopped causes the motor to run only while the jog button is depressed.

The shaft 42 is provided with a collar 81 which is engaged by a latch 88 to prevent shifting of theshaft 42 when the shaft 28 is rotating. When the shaft 28 is stationary, the latch 88 is raised by a solenoid 89 so that shaft 42 can be shifted. The energization of the solenoid 89 is accomplished through a mercury switch 98 carried by the upper end of shaft 28 and arranged so that the mercury therein is thrown away from. the contacts 9| by centrifugal force when the shaft 28 rotates. Upon stopping of shaft 28, the mercury completes the circuit across the contacts 9I to energize the solenoid 89 and release the latch operating coil 93 is entirely similar to the control circuit for the motor 38, except that no cut-out switch 83 is necessary. This circuit need not be further described, as its operation will be apparent from the above description of the circuit involving control buttons 68, I8 and I2 and operating coil 18 for the contactor II. The motor 66 is ordinarily further controlled to make a plurality of revolutions in one direction and then a plurality of revolutions in the reverse direction so as to cause rotation of the containers 32 and 33 about their horizontal axis alternately in opposite directions through several revolutions in order to prevent balling of the clothes in the con.- i'

tainers. Such a reversing mechanism is indicated at 91. As the details of such reversing mechanisms are known to the prior art, they need not be further described.

Water, solvent or other washing material is fed into the casing I8 through a pipe I88 having a control valve I82. Spent washing fluid may be drained from the casing through a discharge line I84 communicating with the bottom of the casing and controlled by the valve I86. A sight glass I88 may be provided in the line I84 to visually determine the condition of the outgoing fluid.

Drying air to be passed to the casing I8 may be drawn through a series of steam heated coils I I8 by a fan I I2 connected directly to a motor I I4 and the heated air passed through a duct II6 communicating with a lower portion of the casing I8. A conical shaped sheet I I8 is provided inthe lower portion of the casing I8 and welded or 0therwise secured to the bottom and side walls I2 and I4, respectively, to form a circular duct I28 surrounding the lower liquid holding or tub portion of the casing I8 and in communication with air inlet duct I I6. Short ducts I22 provided along the side walls I4 of the casing connect lower duct I28 with the interior of the casing and are so disposed as to direct drying air into the. cylinders 32 and 33 through the perforated end walls thereof at their centers, that is to say, in a direction axially of the horizontally rotating containers. This particular arrangement has been found to be of considerable advantage in that a maximum of drying air is passed through the cylinders to dry the clothes or other articles therein before the air is vented through outlet I26.

In'the operation of the device above described, jog button 96 may be used to effect positioning of the containers 32 and 33 in the casing I8 so that the doors 6 thereof are brought into alignment with doors 6 provided in the outer wall of the casing I8 and clothes or other articles to be washed or cleaned are deposited in either or both containers 32 and 33. Lever 46 may then be operated to force shaft 62 inwardly to mesh the splined end 52 thereof with splined casting 56 mounted centrally of the outer wall of container 33. The circuit to motor 66 may then be closed at the starter button 36 to rotate shaft 42 through belt 68, countershaft 58 and gears 54 and 56 whereby the container 33 and container 32 connected thereto by the stub shaft 30 may be rotated on a substantially horizontal axis to wash or tumble the articles contained therein in the cleaning fluid which has been passed to the casing I8 through the inlet pipe I88. If desired, the reversing mechanism 91 may be availed of to effect periodic rotation of the containers in opposite directions instead of continuous rotation in the same direction.

After a suitable interval, when the washing or cleaning operation is completed, the circuit through motor 66 may be broken by, operation of the stop switch 94 and the lever 46 oper-- ated to shift the shaft 42 outwardly of the casing to bring the splines62 and 58 out of mesh. When the lever 46 is in disengaged position, the cut-out switch 83 will be closed to enable the motor 38 to be started. After the spent washing fluid has been drained from the casing through the line I64, the motor 38 may be started by depressing the starter button 18 and the shaft 20 rotatably driven through the motor drive 31, belts 36, and pulley 34, so that the containers '32 and 33 may be rapidly rotated about the axis of the shaft 28 whereby washing fluid entrained with the clothes or other articles may be centrifugally extracted from the containers. Good results may be obtained for ordinary purposes by rotating the shaft 26 during the extraction operation at about 400 R. P. M., while 20 R. P. M. is usually sufficient for rotation of the containers on their horizontal axis during the washing operation.

Upon completion of the extraction operation, the containers 32 and 33 may be horizontally rotated as above described and the motor Ht energized to draw air through the steam coils III) or other means and force the same through the duct H6 into the duct I20 surrounding the l quid holding portion of the casing through the short ducts I22 and into the containers 32 and 33 axially of the ends thereof. In this manner the drying air may be most efliciently utilized to directly contact the articles tumbling in the containers to thoroughly dry the same, the spent drying air being removed through the vent I24. The containers may thenbe jogged into position whereby the doors 3 thereof are in alignment with the casing door 6 and the washed and dried articles withdrawn therefrom. I

The form of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and *7 employs the general principles characterizing the above described form but makes possible the use of a single power source for effecting both horizontal and vertical rotation of the containers.

Herein, an outer casing identified generally by I26 is provided with a bottom wall I28, side walls I36 and a top I32. A skirtor the like I34.may be provided for securing the casing to a floor or other support. A shield or housing I36 is disposed substantially centrally and vertically of the casing I26 and rotatably secured therein at its lower end I39 by'a bearing I38 disposed outside of the bottom wall I28 of the casing free of the washing fluid and supported at its upper end by a bearing I40. A stub shaft I42 projects horizontally beyond an intermediate portion of the shield I36 and issupported thereby for rotation on a horizontal axis by bearing I44 secured to the shield. Secured to the outer ends of the stub shaft I42 for horizontal rotation therewith are containers I 46 and I41, each having suitable doors I48, the containers I46 and I41 being generally similar in structure to the containers 32 and 33 and similar in operation in that they are supported for concurrent horizontal rotation independently of the shield I36 and rotatable about the vertical axis of the shield I36.-

A large sprocket wheel I60 is keyed to the stub shaft I42 and positioned entirely within the support or housing I36 to be shielded from the washing fluid. Freely rotatable guide sprockets I52 supported by brackets depending from the topv of the member I36 mesh with sprocket chain I64 connecting driven sprocket I58 to a drive sprocket I56 rotatable on a shaft I58 which passes through an extension of the shield I36 exteriorly of the casing I26. Integral with the sprocket I56 is a bevel gear I68 meshing with another bevel gear I62 secured centrally of a disc I66 rotatably supported in a housing I66 on the top wall I32 of the casing I26. Disc I64 is driven by belts or the like I68 connected to drive shaft I16 of a suitable electric motor or the like (not illustrated). An, expanding clutch I12 operable by any conventional means is carried by a plate secured to the shaft I58 and comprises a means for selectively frictionally engaging the shield I36 and containers I46and I41 carried thereby with the disc I64 for rotation therewith. A brake.

drum I14 and an associated brake band I16 is secured to an upper extending portion of the member I36 adjacent the disc I64 and rotates with the member I36 and the above mentioned gears and sprocket connections when the clutch I12 is in operative engagement with disc I66.

To rotate the containers I46 and I61 on their common horizontal axis, the brake drum band 916 operated by any convenient means (not shown) will brake the drum I14 to hold shield I36 and disengaged clutch I12 stationary. Thereupon rotation of the disc I64 through bevel gears I62 and I66 and sprocket I66 will drive sprocket chain I64 to rotate stub shaft I42 and containers I46 and I41 carried thereby.

In this form of the invention provision is also made for directing drying air axially of the containers I46 and I41 through ducts I18 and I63 extending through the side wall of the casing I26, the air being exhausted through an outlet Washing liquid or the like charged to the casing may be drained through an outlet I64 at the bottom of the casing.

It will be apparent that the operation'of the modified form of the invention is similar in its essentials to theiirst described form, a structural advantage residing in the fact that a single driving means is employed for effecting horizontal rotation of the containers H46 and I41 for washing and drying and rotation or spinning about an axis extending centrally of the casing and offset from the containers during the extraction operation.

It will be understood that the forms of the invention herein illustrated and described are excontainer on said axis for tumbling the contents of said container in said cleaning fluid, the said container being also supported within said casing for independent rotation on a second axis offset from said container, and means for rotating said container at a high speed about said second axis to extract cleaning fluid from the contents of said container.

2. A washing and extracting and drying ma chine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a plurality of containers supported within said casing each for rotary movement on a substantially horizontal axis, means for imparting rotary movement to one of said containers on said substantially horizontal axis for tumbling the contents of said one container in the cleaning fluid, the said containers being also supported within said casing for rotation around a substantially vertical axis offset from the containers independently of said substantially horizontal rotation, and means for rotating said. containers at a high speed about said substantially vertical axis to extract cleaning fluid from the contents of said containers.

3. A washing and extracting machine comprisring a cleaning fluid holding casing, a rotatable support disposed substantially centrally and vertically of said casing, a perforated container, means securing said container to one side of said central support for rotary movement on a substantially horizontal axis extending through the container and for rotary movement with said for rotary movement on a common substantially horizontal axis extending through each container and for rotary movement with said vertical support around the axis of said vertical support,

means for rotating said containers on their substantially horizontal axis for tumbling contents of the containers in said cleaning fluid, and means for rotating said' containers at a high speed around the vertical axis of said central support for extracting cleaning fluid from the contents of said container.

6. A washing and extracting machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a rotatable support disposed substantially vertically and centrally of said casing, a shaft rotatably carried by and extending outwardly of opposed sides of said vertical support, a pair of perforated cylindrical containers, one each secured to an extended end of said shaft and each in axial alignment with said shaft, means for'rotating said containers on the axis of said shaft for tumbling contents of the containers in said cleaning fluid, and means for rotating said containers at high speed around the axis of said vertical support for extracting cleaning fluid from the contents of said containers.

7. A washing and extracting machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a vertically extending shaft rotatably supported substantially centrally of said casing, an anti-friction bearing member carried by said vertical shaft, a horizontally extending stub shaft supported in said bearing member for rotation with said vertical shaft and for rotation on its horizontal axis independently'of said vertical shaft, a pair of perforated cylindrical containers one each secured to an extended end of said stub shaft, the said containers and ,said stub shaft being in axial alignment and secured together for common rocentral support around the offset axis of said c'entral support, means for rotating said container on said substantially horizontal axis for tumbling contents of the container in said cleaning fluid, and means for rotating said container at a high speed around the vertical axis of said central support for extracting cleaning fluid from the contents of said container.

4. A washing and extracting machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a rotatable support disposed substantially vertically of said casing, a plurality of perforated containers, means securing said containers to said vertical support, each for rotary movement on a substantially horizontal axis extending through the container and each for rotary movement with said vertical supportaround the axis of said vertical support, means for simultaneously rotating each of said containers on its substantially horizontal axis for tumbling contents of the containers in said cleaning fluid, and means for rotating said containers at a high speed around the axis of said vertical support for extracting cleaning fluid from the contents of said containers.

5. A washing and extracting machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a rotatable support disposed substantially vertically and centrally of said casing, a pair of perforated cylindrical containers, means securing said containers to said vertical support in axial alignment tation on a horizontal axis, means including a drive shaft projectable inside said casing into axial engagement with one of said containers whereby said containers are rotated to tumble the contents thereof in said cleaning fluid, and means for rotating said vertical shaft and said containers carried thereby at high speed whereby to extract cleaning fluid from the contents of said containers, r

8. A washing and extracting machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a rotatable support disposed substantially centrally of said casing, a perforated container, means securing said container to one side of said central support for rotary movement on a substantially horizontal axis extending through the container and for rotary movement with said central support around the offset axis of said central support, means for rotating said container on said substantially horizontal axis for tumbling contents of the container in said cleaning fluid, means for rotating said container at a high speed around the axis of said central support for extracting cleaning fluid from the contents of said container, and a conduit for introducing drying air substantially horizontally into said casing at the support disposed substantially vertically and centrally of said casing, a shaft rotatably carried by and extending outwardly of opposed sides of said vertical support, a pair of perforated cylindrical containers, one each secured to an extended end of said shaft and each in axial alignment with said shaft, means for rotating said containers on the axis of said shaft for tumbling conmnts of the containers in said cleaning fluid, means for rotating said containers at high. speed around the axis of said vertical support for extracting cleaning fluid from the contents of said containers, and conduits for introducing drying air into opposite sides of said casing, said containers being adapted to be positioned in axial alignment with said conduits whereby drying air is directed axially into each of said containers.

10. A washing and extracting machine com: prising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a rotatable hollow support disposed substantially cen- 'the height of said horizontal axis, said container being adapted to be positioned relative to said conduit so that drying air is directed into said container axially of its horizontal rotational axis.

13. A washing and extracting and drying machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a perforated container supported within said casing for rotary movement on an axis extending through the container, means for rotating the container on said axis for tumbling the contents of said container in said cleaning fluid, the said. container being also supported within said casing for independent rotation on a second axis offset from said container, and means for trally of said casing, a perforated container,

means securing said container to one side of said central support for rotary movement on an axis extending through the container and for rotary movement with 7 said central support around the offset axis of said central support, means including drive means extending through said hollow support for rotating said container on said axis extending through the container for tumbling contents of the container in said cleaning fluid, and means for rotating said container at a high speed around the axis of said central support for extracting cleaning fluid from the contents of said container.

11. A washing and extracting machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a rotatable hollow support disposed substantially vertically and centrally of said casing, a shaft rotatably carried by and extending outwardly of opposed sides of said vertical support, a paircf perforated cylindrical containers, one each secured to an extended end of said shaft and each in axial alignment with said shaft, means including drive means extending through said hollow support for rotating said containers on theaxis of said shaft for tumbling contents of the containers in said cleaning fluid, and means for rotating said containers at high speed around the axis of said vertical support for extracting cleaning fluid from the contents of said con= tainers.

12. A washing, extracting and drying machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a rotatable hollow support disposed substantially centrally of said casing, a perforated container, means securing said container to one side of said central support for rotary movement on an axis extending through the container and for rotary movement with'said central support around the offset axis of said central support, means includ-' ing drive means extending through said hollow support for rotating said container on said axisextending through the container for tumblin contents of the container in said cleaning fluid,

means for rotating said container at a high speed around the axis of said central support for extracting cleaning fluid from the contents of said container, and a conduit for introducing drying air substantially horizontally into .the casing at.

rotating said container at a high speed about said second axis to extract cleaning fluid from .the contents of said container, and a conduit communicating with said casing for introducing drying air, said container being adapted to be positioned relative to said conduit so that drying air is directed into said container axially of the rotational axis extending through said container.

14. A washing and extracting and drying machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a plurality of containers supported within said casing each for rotary movement on a horizontal axis, means for imparting rotary movement to one of said containers on said horizontal axis for tumbling the contents of said one container in the cleaning fluid, the said containers being also supported within said casing for rotation around a vertical axis ofiset from, the containers independently of said horizontal rotation, and means for rotating said containers at a high speed about said vertical axis to extract cleaning fluid from the contents of said containers, and a conduit for introducing drying air into said casing at the height of said horizontal axis, said containers being adapted to be positioned in alignment with said conduit whereby drying air is directed into said containers along said horizontal axis of rotation of the containers.

15. A washing and extracting machine comprising a cleaning fluid holding casing, a rotatable hollow support disposed substantially vertically and centrally of said casing, a shaft rotatably' carried by and extending outwardly of opposed sides of said vertical support, a pair of perforated cylindrical containers, one each secured to an extended end of, said shaft and each in axial alignment with said shaft, means including drive means extending through said hollow support for rotating said containers on the axis of said shaft for tumbling contents of the containers in said cleaning fluid, means for EMANUEL J. PERRY. 

